'Very low' risk of bird flu spreading between humans: UK gov't scientist

[deadparrot]

LONDON (AFP) - The likelihood of the lethal H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus mutating into a form that can be transmitted between humans is "very low", the British government's chief scientific adviser said.

David King was speaking after a dead swan discovered in eastern Scotland this week was found to have the H5N1 strain of the disease, prompting speculation that the virus could spread throughout Britain.

But although the scientist acknowledged that transmission of the disease from birds to humans could trigger a global pandemic, he said it was "totally misleading" to say it was inevitable.

"The pandemic flu that we are now talking about would be in the human population. It is not in the human population at the moment," he told ITV1 television.

[OKIsItJustMe]

1. AP: Britain Rolls Out Bird Flu Crisis Plan

Apr 7, 9:36 PM EDT

Britain Rolls Out Bird Flu Crisis Plan

By DAVID STRINGER
Associated Press Writer

LONDON (AP) -- Wildlife officers were keeping watch on 3 million birds and a dozen dead swans were being tested for the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus Friday, as the British government rolled out a crisis plan after the country's first confirmed case of the disease.

Around 250,000 free-range birds were being moved indoors and restrictions on bird movements were in place in heavily policed zones close to the Scottish harbor town where a swan infected with H5N1 was discovered last week, Scotland's government said.

Six poultry keepers in a 1.8 mile ring around the site were having their flocks sampled for signs of the virus.

Patrols of wardens and veterinarians were also touring a 6 mile surveillance zone established around Cellardyke, a town more than 450 miles north of London.

...

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. CNN Intl: UK tests more birds for deadly flu (dead swan in Scotland)

This was on CNN Intl TV. Story link at bottom:

UK tests more birds for deadly flu

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Tests were being carried out on 14 birds after Britain's first case of the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed in a dead swan found in Scotland.

Twelve more swans and two other species were Friday being investigated for the virus as British authorities set up a surveillance zone around the fishing village where the first case was detected.

Scotland's chief veterinary officer, Charles Milne, said there was no indication that the tests would prove positive, according to Britain's Press Association.
...
Milne said an area of 2,500 square kilometers around the infection zone --estimated to contain 3.1 million birds -- would be declared a "wild bird risk area."
...
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/04/07/swan.flu.britain/index.html

[willows]

3. Cats?

Firstly, anyone find it odd that most epidemics start in europe?

Seriously now though, they say it's somehow spreading to cat's via mutations.
The professors over here in my school seem to let this thing run off of their backs. No one's seeming to get concerned about it.

It's troubling.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. This epidemic started in south east Asia

Far more birds have died there than in Europe. It was a year and a half ago they said that cats could catch and spread H5N1: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3620532.stm

[WhiteTara]

5. Further Scottish bird flu results return negative

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L08393517.htm
LONDON, April 8 (Reuters) - Nine more birds found dead in Scotland did not die of bird flu, officials said on Saturday, two days after Britain confirmed the deadly H5N1 strain had reached its shores.

On Thursday, Scotland's chief veterinary officer Charles Milne said a mute swan found in Cellardyke harbour in eastern Scotland had died from the virus.

Five other birds were also being tested on Saturday and the results are expected later in the day.

"The latest information shows that no new positive test results have been received for the H5N1 strain of the virus," a statement by the Scottish Executive said.

Officials have said the threat to humans is remote, despite the discovery of the deadly H5N1 strain in the carcass of the swan, found on March 29.

they didn't get the word the Rummy needs more money from Tamiflu, this is supposed to be more scare tactics, not "threat to humans is remote"

[Jamison]

6. I think this guy has it right.

This bird flu scare has a lot more to do with political fearmongering than actual reality.

[Javaman]

12. It has always been about the sale of Tamiflu. Period.

This little fear tactic brought to you by the good people in donald rumspukes office.

rumspuke has profitted very will from this little foray into fearmongering.

all this administration* has been about is spreading the profits. nothing more nothing less.

remember it's not about the have-nots, it's about the haves and the have-mores.

fucking colossal racist failure*.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

7. Of course it's not going to cause a pandemic now!! It has not...

...yet evolved into the variant that is going to be easily transmissable between humans!

Geez.

[anitar1]

8. Right. n/t

[GeorgeGist]

9. With all due respect...

Sir David King is a distinguished "Physical Chemist". He is NOT an expert in viral epidemiology and his personal assurance has no implicit credibility.

[robcon]

10. This is old news.

The chances of human-to-human transmission of the virus was always considered remote.

The problem is that, in that remote circumstance, there is little defense against the form of the virus.

[rocktivity]

11. "Eighty-six the bird flu pandemic!"

"We're switching over to Iranian nukes!"

:headbang:
rocknation